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Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has directed Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to submit a monthly report to it on the multi-billion Naira Abuja-Kano Expressway.
The chairman, House Committee on Works, Abubakar Kabir Abubakar, in a statement, on Thursday, said that was part of the resolution reached a tripartite meeting with officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and management of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and the committee.
Abubakar said Julius Berger confirmed to the committee that it has so far received N50, 856,044,301,27 billion, representing 32 percent of the total budget for the road.
The lawmaker noted that currently, the work progress on the road is 26.7percent after 18 months into the 36 month completion period.
Abubakar added that “the committee doubts strongly the capacity of Julius Berger Plc to deliver the remaining 73.3 percent in the next 18 months”
Consequently, the committee directed the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to consider the option of involving other contractors to handle different sections of the road, so as to ensure that the project is delivered in record time.
He further stated that the committee has resolved to invite the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to brief it on the certificate of no objection issued on the proposed three-lane on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority is also expected to appear before the committee to furnish it with details of payments made to Julius Berger and the justification for those payments.
